Cooper: Raiders might have to score often vs. Rams

By Jeremy Bergman

Around The NFL Writer

Published:
Sept. 5, 2018 at 04:27 p.m.

Updated:
Sept. 5, 2018 at 09:57 p.m.

Editor's note: An previous version of this story stated Cooper's comments were related to Khalil Mack no longer being on the team. Cooper's statement was centered on the Raiders looking to keep up with the Rams' offense.

With Los Angeles' league-leading offense rolling into the East Bay, Oakland can't afford to waste drives and scoring opportunities against what looks to be the NFL's most explosive attack yet again.

The Rams averaged a league-high 29.9 points per games in 2017, with 45.3 percent of their drives resulting in an offensive score, good for second in the league. That's a bad matchup for the Raiders' defense, which allowed scoring on a league-worst 40.9 percent of drives last season.

It doesn't help that Khalil Mack is no longer in the building. Now in Chicago, Mack wasn't just Oakland's leading sack artist over the last three seasons. The defensive end was a total disruptor, leading the team in QB hits (22), hurries (40) and tackles for loss (15) in 2017. Mack's likely replacement along Oakland's defensive line, Tank Carradine, has 13 QB hits and nine total tackles for loss in his career.

For Cooper and the Raiders offense to score every drive, they'll need to improve significantly on last year's 24th-ranked scoring percentage (29.2). At least for one game.

A lot has changed in Oakland since last season. Mack's gone, but so is Jack Del Rio, replaced by once-offensive wunderkind Jon Gruden. The Raiders replaced Michael Crabtree with Jordy Nelson and also added Doug Martin to a crowded, diverse backfield.

So perhaps Oakland's new-look offense can catch the football world by surprise, score 30-plus points and keep up with the Rams in Week 1's prime-time finale. But it won't be easy.